Strange Days
by GreyWarden2009
Summary: What happens when Keitaro, while on a dig, meets an American with a hidden past?  Strange Days, to be sure.  It has been 3 years since I last wrote a fanfic, so reviews would be nice.  Rating may change later on.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer- I do not own Love Hina, only the OC_

"Hey, part-timer, come check this out!"

Keitaro looked away from where he was cleaning away some rubble over to where his boss, Seta, was standing with the newest addition to the dig team.

Said addition was a young American about 6'2'', short brown hair, and had odd brown-green eyes. The irises around the pupil were brown and were rimmed with green. From what Keitaro could tell, since the American wore baggy clothing, it seemed that the American had a lean muscular build.

"What is it?" Keitaro asked, walking over to join the two men as they studied what looked like a fragment of a once great mural.

"It appears that these ruins aren't what we thought they were." Seta said, lighting up a cigarette. He ran a hand through his hari as he looked up at the darkening sky.

"It seems these ruins, if this mural fragment is anything to go by, were the home of an ancient race of warriors. Possibly...Greek? It seems unlikely, however, that they would have branched out this far without leaving behind detailed records." The American said. Keitaro recalled that he had introduced himself as Christopher Moriarty around three days ago.

"That is unlikely, but not as unlikely as an ancient turtle civilization." Keitaro said, adding the last part under his breath.

"I wonder what led them this far away from Greece, if they are indeed Greek. Well, it's getting dark now, so let's head back to camp." Seta said, taking a drag on his cigaretted before putting it out. Chris set about wrapping the mural fragment carefully while Keitaro began packing up the tools. After Keitaro and Chris were finished with their respective duties, they returned to the cluster of tents that was a five minute walk away from the digsite.

Some time later, the three archaeologists sat around the campfire eating MRE's***** that Chris had brought with him, while they swapped stories from the past. Whenever it was Keitaro's turn, it usually ended with the other two archaeologists laughing heartily.

"So, Chris, what was your job before this?" Keitaro asked.

"I was a soldier. Well, to be more precise, I was a Security Forces member in the US Air Force." Chris said, finishing his pork rib MRE.

"Where were you stationed?" Seta asked, digging into a tuna MRE.

"Osan AB for two years, Kadena AB for two years, and Yokota AB for two years. I was also deployed to the Middle East twice." Chris said, mixing an MRE shake.

"How long were you in the miltary? What rank were you?" Keitaro asked.

"I was a Staff Sergeant when I got out after my six-year enlistment." Chris answered.

"So you spent your entire enlistment in the Pacific? Do you miss the US at all?" Keitaro asked, surprised.

"There are things I miss, yes, but I don't miss being in the States. That country has been on a down-hill slide for years now. Since when is a drive-by shooting and a rape considered a common place incident? I tried doing what I could to help, but I didn't change a damn thing." Chris muttered, mostly to himself.

"So you moved over here?" Seta asked, changing the topic.

"Yes, I did. Got a dual citizenship and a degree, then got a job with you guys." Chris said, grinning slightly.

"Do you have a place to stay yet?" Keitaro asked.

"Not yet. Do you have any reccommendations?" Chris asked, finishing off the MRE shake, looking up into the star-filled sky and focusing on the full moon.

"Hina Village is a peaceful place. I run an Inn there. I could see if Granny Hina and Aunt Haruka wouldn't mind letting you stay there until you find a place to stay." Keitaro suggested.

"I wouldn't want to cause any trouble." Chris said.

"I don't think Haruka would mind, but it all hinges on what Granny Hina decides. The girls, on the other hand, might not like it at all." Seta chuckled.

"Girls?" Chris repeated curiously.

"The other residents. They, uh, might not like it, but if Granny Hina says it's okay, then they won't argue _too_ much," Keitaro said, scratching the back of his head, "after all, you have been a great help here, and I'd like to repay the favor. Besides, if Granny Hina and Aunt Haruka give us the thumbs up, the girls won't be able to do anything about it."

Seta laughed and clapped Keitaro on the back, "Just because they can't do anything about Granny Hina's decision, Keitaro, doesn't mean they can't make life difficult."

_*MRE- Meal Ready to Eat_

_A/N: Tell me what you guys think. It has been 3 years since I last wrote a fanfic, so any construcive critiscim would be nice as well. There will be slight changes to the story and characters to make the OC's insertion somewhat smoother. This story takes place four years after the first episode/chapter, but Keitaro & Naru are not together._


	2. Chapter 2

_The screams of the injured and dying echoed all around a single soldier, punctuated by the rattle of automatic weapons' fire. The soldier ducked behind a pile of rubble, landing next to a fallen comrade._

_ "Moriarty! For he-heaven's sake, call for evac," the injured soldier shouted, blood bubbling from the corner of his mouth._

_ "Can't! Radios are jammed," Chris said mournfully. He peeked around the corner, only to jerk back as bullets ricocheted off the ruined wall._

_ "Wh-where is everyone else? We need to g-get out of here," the soldier said, his voice getting weaker._

_ "Take it easy, Henson. Don't talk, you'll be alright," Chris said sadly, patting the dying soldier's shoulder as he ejected the spent magazine from his M4 carbine._

_ "Y-you're a terrible liar..." the soldier trailed off with a along sigh. Chris looked over at his friend and saw only a pair of empty eyes staring back. He reached over and closed his friend's eyes before loading another magazine. He looked around the corner of the ruined wall, taking note of the enemy positions before he muttered a quick prayer. Chris jumped from cover as he sprinted to a better position, bullets kicking up dirt around him as he ran. Diving into a shattered store front, Chris rolled and fired as two hostiles stood up from behind the cashier's counter. Both men fell screaming as Chris took aim on the enemies outside, firing when the opportunity presented itself._

_ "Why does this always happen?" _

_ The question went unanswered as the familiar whistle of a mortar shell reached Chris's ears. He dove away from the window as the shell hit, demolishing the entire front of the building. Ears ringing, Chris fired as several more hostiles poured into the building. He felt the impact of several rounds hitting his body armor, muttering a silent prayer in thanks even as he gritted his teeth in pain. Knowing his vest wouldn't stop any more rounds, Chris fled deeper into the building and spotted an emergency exit. He shouldered the door open and came face=to-face with an entire squad of enemies._

_ "Damn," Chris muttered as he closed his eyes._

Chris awoke with a start as the train came to a stop, anouncing the name of the next station. He looked over at Keitaro, who was standing and grabbing his backpack. Chris reached for his olive green duffle bag and a single backpack.

"This is our stop?"

Keitaro nodded as he made his way towards the door, "Yes. We'll stop by Aunt Haruka's Tea House before we head up to the Hinata Sou so we can get you introduced."

Chris stretched as they stepped off the train, "That was a long ride, sorry I fell asleep."

Keitaro grinned, "No problem, though it looked like you weren't having such a good dream."  
Chris sighed, "You'd be right. Just old memories coming back to the surface."

The two walked in silence, passing a bridge as they made their way deeper into town. Stopping at a convenience store, Chris purchased a can of coffee, then drank it all in one chug. He dropped the empty can in a recycling bin as they continued on their way, finally coming to a stop near an older looking building at the bottom of a large set of stairs.

"Hinata Apartments is up there?"

Keitaro nodded, opening the sliding door to the Tea House, "Aunt Haruka?"

Keitaro was answered by a wet rag slapping him in the face, "What have I told you?"

Chris peeked around the sputtering archaeologist, "I'm sorry, ma'am. We didn't mean to cause trouble."

"Ah, no, she just wants me to call her Haruka-san. Haruka-san, this is Chris. Seta-san called ahead about him after we left the dig site," Keitaro said, handing the wash cloth back to an older woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties.

Haruka looked over at Chris, then nodded, "He did. You want to stay at the Hinata Apartments, right?"

Chris scratched the back of his head, "Only if it won't cause any trouble."

Haruka chuckled, "It'll cause trouble alright, but I'm sure you can handle it. Do you want something to drink while I make a call?"

Chris shook his head, "No thank you, ma'am."

Haruka nodded in approval, "At least you are polite. Have a seat, I'll be back in a moment."

Chris and Keitaro sat down at one of the tables and Keitaro filled Chris in on the highlights of the town, telling him where the nearest shops were.

"What about the other tennants? You said they were girls," Chris said, nodding his head in the direction of the stairs.

"Oh, that's right, I forgot to tell you about them. Umm, let's see... I think, well, Su won't have a problem with you. Shinobu is a shy girl to say the least, so it'll take her some time to get used to you. Mitsune, on the other hand, doesn't have a shy bone in her body and she may swindle you for drinking money. Motoko, well, she and Naru will be the ones who are against the idea of you staying here. Sara, she is Seta-san's daughter, so she won't be able to do anything. Doesn't mean she won't try, though," Keitaro chuckled nervously as Haruka emerged from the back of the Tea House.

"You are cleared to stay, though you will have to work for your keep. Keitaro will share his duties around the Inn with you. Good luck, and if any of the girls give you any trouble, send them my way," Haruka said as she walked the two men out the door.

"Thanks Aunt, I mean, Haruka-san," Keitaro said, smiling.

Chris bowed, "Thank you for your help, ma'am."

"No problem. Keitaro, I'll be opening up soon. If you need anything, I'll be here," Haruka said, heading back inside.

"She seems pretty nice," Chris commented as he followed Keitaro up the stairs.

"She is. All the girls are nice here, after you get used to them and their...habits," Keitaro chuckled.

"I see. Well, this should be interesting," Chris said. The large building, old in architecture, took his breath away when the two young men reached the top of the stairs.

"This is amazing! You actually live here? This place is huge," Chris said, looking around. The building itself, which was in good condition, was surrounded by sakura trees.

Keitaro chuckled softly, "There is a open-air hotspring in the back, but that is the girls' bath. The men's bath is in a seperate area. Since you'll be helping me out, our job is to keep this place properly maintained and clean. We'll find you a room somewhere away from the girls, so they can't accuse you of being a pervert. When is the rest of your stuff going to get here?"

"The rest? This is all I've got," Chris said, nodding towards his duffle bag and backpack.

"That's all you own? Why?"

Chris shrugged, "Haven't had a chance to accumulate much stuff. Didn't have any reason to."

"Wow. Well, maybe that will change since you have a place to stay now," Keitaro said, opening the front door of the Inn.

Chris didn't know it then, but his life was changed forever when he followed Keitaro through that portal. For better of worse is yet to be determined.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello? I'm back!" Keitaro stepped across the threshold of the Hinata Inn, taking his shoes off in the entry way. Chris followed suit, though it took him a little while longer to unlace his old combat boots. Just as he stepped onto the hard wood floors, a painful jolt shot through Chris's chest.

"Damn it," Chris muttered, setting down his duffle bag. Clutching his chest with one hand, he reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a bottle of medication. He popped the lid with his thumb and shook two pills into his mouth, which he swallowed without assistance.

"Um, Chris, what was that about?"

Chris turned to see Keitaro looking back at him, a concerned look on his friend's face, "Just an injury acting up. It hasn't fully healed yet." _The doctor said I'd be fine after a month or two._

"I see. If you need any help with anything, let me know," Keitaro said. The two men walked through the common area and over to what Chris saw was the dining room. At the kitchen sink was a young girl with azure hair.

"Welcome back, senpai. I was just starting...? Who is this?" The girl asked, turning to face Keitaro, but freezing when she saw Chris.

"Shinobu-chan, this is Christopher Moriarty, he'll be staying with us for a little while. Chris, this is Shinobu Maehara. Don't worry, Shinobu-chan, I already cleared it with Aunt Haruka and Granny Hina," Keitaro said, introducing Chris with a smile.

Chris bowed politely, "A pleasure to meet you Ms. Maehara."

"Ah, um, I'm s-sorry," Shinobu said timidly as she left the kitchen for parts unknown. Chris watched her leave, then glanced at Keitaro questioningly.

"She's nervous around men. She isn't the one you have to worry about," Keitaro said with a slight grin.

Chris frowned, "I have a feeling this is not going to end well."

"KEITARO! GET OVER HERE!"

Chris flinched at the sound of the screaming banshee, "I'm going to assume that is one of the people I will have to worry about."

Keitaro chuckled nervously, "Naru really isn't so bad once you get used to her." He made his way for the dining room door.

Chris sighed as he followed his fellow archaeologist, "I notice you said 'get used to her' rather than get to know her."

Keitaro laughed as they trudged back into the common room, where they had left their bags. In the room were several women, including the young Shinobu as well as Haruka.

"What is it, Naru?"

"You know exactly what 'it' is! What are you doing, bringing another man here? We've made an exception for you, since Granny Hina made you manager, but this is too much," A young woman with brown hair said, gesturing to Chris.

A younger woman with long black hair, wearing a traditional gi and hakama, held a sheathed sword in one hand as she frowned at him, "I agree. We cannot let another man stay here. This is supposed to be an all-girls dorm, with Urashima as the only exception to that policy. Who are you and what is your intention?"

"My name is Christopher Moriarty, and it was my intent to stay here _temporarily_ until I find a place of my own," Chris said, examining the crowd before him.

"Listen, Granny Hina already said he could stay as long as he helping me with my duties here," Keitaro said in Chris's defense.

"Where did you meet this guy, Keitaro? He's an American! Who knows what he might do to one of the girls if he finds them alone!" Naru jabbed a finger in Chris's direction.

Chris's eyes narrowed when he heard Naru's comment, "You should not judge all for the acts of the few."

Naru turned to look at Chris, "How do we know you aren't like those 'few?' You could be worse!"

"You'll have to take my word on it, for now. Besides, Mr. Noriyasu didn't have a problem hiring me," Chris said coldly.

"Seta-san hired you?"

Keitaro stepped in, clearing his throat, "Yes, Naru. Chris the newest member of Seta-san's dig team. He helped us out on our last expedition."

"Oh. Well, I still don't like the idea of another guy living here," Naru said, crossing her arms.

"Aww, come on, Naru. We all know that Seta-san is a good judge of character, even if he is a little absent-minded sometimes," A fox-eyed girl said, elbowing Naru slightly.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Chris, this is Mistune Konno. The girl with the sword is Motoko Aoyama. You already met Shinobu-chan and Au-I mean, Haruka-san. This is Naru Narusegawa. The foreign girl there is Kaolla Su, and Seta-san already told you about Sarah," Keitaro said, introducing all of the girls present.

"A pleasure to meet all of you," Chris said politely, though he did not bow this time.

"Call me Kitsune, sugah," Mistune said with a grin.

"Careful around her, she'll blackmail you to get anything she wants. She is a good person despite that, though," Keitaro whispered so the rest couldn't hear.

"I still refuse to let another man live under this roof without a fight," Motoko said, glaring at Chris, "and because I feel this way, I challenge you to a duel."

"M-Motoko-san! We just got back from an expedition," Keitaro said loudly.

Naru glared at the spectacled archaeologist, "Then if he isn't strong enough to fight Motoko, then he doesn't deserve to stay here."

"Do you accept the terms?" Motoko watched Crhis carefully.

Chris sighed, "Time and place?"

Motoko seemed surprised that Chris accepted the challenge without fussing like Keitaro would have, "The tree line behind the Inn. Twenty minutes."

"I'll be there," Chris said, pulling Keitaro away from the girls, "how good is she with that sword?"

Keitaro scratched the back of his head, "She is next in line to inherit the Aoyama Family dojo in Kyoto, and is a disciple of the Shinmei Ryuu."

"So she is pretty good then?" Chris glanced back at Motoko, who was talking with Naru.

"One of the best, I'd say," Keitaro said with a nod.

Chris sighed as he walked over to his duffle bag, muttering to himself, "Didn't think I'd ever use this again." He opened the bag and fished around inside, finally pulling out a nine-inch combat knife with a compressed leather handle. The sheath, in which the blade was housed, was made from leather as well. Imprinted on the faded leather was the U.S. Army seal. Chris drew the blade, examining the edge. The blade itself was coated with a black finish, so only the edge gleamed like silver fire in the light of the room. Chris sheathed the blade, then made his way towards the back of the Inn with Keitaro.

The atmosphere of the Hinata-Sou grew thick as the two combatants prepared for their upcoming duel, which would either result in Chris's ejection from the premises or him earning a place to stay. It was hard to tell, at this point, which of the results would be better at the end of the day.

**A/N: I know in Japenese you are supposed to say/write the last name first, but for the sake of my sanity, I have to write it first name first, so forgive me if I offend anyone while writing it this way. REMEMBER, four years have passed (ie Shinobu would be about seventeen years old). Keitaro and Naru are not together.**


	4. Chapter 4

_"What's this?" Chris stared at the sheathed knife that Henson had handed him._

_"It's a gift, man! You may be Air Force, but you work in the mud with us Army grunts, so I figured I'd give you something to show for it," Henson said as the two soldiers checked their gear before mounting up in the up-armored humvees that waited outside the tents. The desert sun was directly overhead, the temperature easily in the triple digits._

_Chris grinned, "You know, Security Forces might as well be a unit in the Army. We are the Air Force's only infantry unit, so they rely on us for a lot. Working with you guys is turning out to be a lot more fun than checking ID's at a gate or watching a plane all day."_

_Henson chuckled, climbing into the turret and loading up the M240b that was mounted there, "You know it. After this mission, want to grab some chow?"_

_"Sure."_

Chris shook his head, once again examining the knife carefully as he made his way out to the treeline. Looking around, he noticed that he was the first to arrive, though Keitaro was close behind.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Keitaro watched as the American sheathed the blade, then fixed the sheath to his belt.

Chris sighed, "I'd rather not do this, but they won't stand for that. If I am going to stay here, I'll have to prove that I can earn a place here and not rely on others. Before you say anything, relying on others is not a weakness. Sometimes, however, one has to stand on their own to prove a point."

"You sound like you've been through this before," Keitaro said, adjusting his glasses as Kisune and Naru arrived. Shinobu, Su, and Sarah were not far behind.

"At least the American isn't a coward," Naru muttered as she sat on a blanket that Shinobu layed out.

Sarah stuck out her tongue, "Of course he isn't, he's an American!"

Chris chuckled to himself. He felt a slight twinge in his chest, and immediately reached into his pocket for his medication. _Now is not the time for this_, Chris thought as he swallowed two pills.

Motoko arrived last, carrying a bokken, and stood opposite of the foreigner, "This is your last chance to back out."

"No thank you," Chris said. He settled into a martial arts stance as Motoko settled into her own ready stance. The two waited for the other to move as the wind whispered through the trees, and the skies threatened to unleash a downpour. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the two opponents leaped into action.

Motoko launched into a savage cross-slash, followed up by a horizontal strike, both of which Chris dodged elegantly. He brought one boot around in a round-house kick, and spun into a left-handed back fist.

Motoko jumped out of range and eyeballed the sheathed knife. _It is obvious that he has had some training, but why is he coming at me unarmed if he has a weapon, _Motoko wondered. Again, Chris was inside the range of the wooden sword, forcing Motoko to strike him in the chin with the handle of the sword, but not before his fist grazed her cheek. Motoko settled into her guard as Chris stumbled backwards, rubbing his chin. She was surprised to see him grinning.

"Excellent. Come on, what else have you got?" The gleam in the American's eye indicated that he was enjoying this.

Motoko's eyes narrowed, "You are a fool of a man to goad me. ROCK SPLITTING WAVE!" She struck the ground, splitting the earth between the two combatants with a blast of chi. Chris's eyes widened as he was knocked of his feet by the unexpected attack. Landing on the ground with an audible crack, Chris felt a lance of searing pain shoot through his torso.

"Sonova..." Chris muttered as he shakily got to his feet. He reached into his pocket only to find that his pill bottle was no longer there. He glanced around, the pain ratcheting up with each passing moment, until he spotted it behind Motoko. _Must have flown over there after that crazy attack, this fight will have to end this quickly, _Chris thought. He rested his hand on the pommel of his combat knife before drawing the blade.

"Still willing to fight after that? You are either a brave man, or the fool I know you to be," Motoko lunged foward, intending to end this fight with her next attack. Chris stood absolutely still, letting the kendoka close in before he crouched. Just as Motoko lashed out with her bokken and hitting Chris's ribcage, he gripped her sword hand. His face contorted in pain as he reversed his grip on the knife and struck Motoko in the stomach with the pommel.

"Nice form, but keep in mind that shorter blades are more agile," Chris grinned weakly, holding his ribcage as he limped past Motoko and retrieved his pill bottle. With that, he sheathed the combat knife and staggered back to the Inn, followed closely by Keitaro.

Once the two men were back inside, Keitaro grinned widely, "Congradulations! That must have hurt pretty bad, but at least you won!" Chris said nothing, covering his mouth as he coughed. His hand came away, spattered with blood.

"Oh, shit! Let me call an ambulance!" Keitaro was already reaching for the phone as Chris leaned against the wall, still holding his side.

* * *

"Well, we were able to stop the internal bleeding. If we had been any later, I don't think we could have saved him. What was he thinking, doing this in the condition he was in?" Dr. Mirikawa frowned, looking Keitaro in the eye. He was the only one to accompany Chris to the hospital, the others having still been outside when the ambulance arrived.

"Hey, d-doc, don't worry about it. It won't happen again," Chris said softly, slowly opening his eyes and examining the room from the hospital bed.

"You haven't given your injuries the proper time they need to heal! It'll take an extra month for them to heal now that you've reopened them!" Dr. Mirikawa threw her hands up.

"What injuries?" Keitaro's question drew the doctor's attention back to the landlord.

"It usually takes time to recover after being shot five times. You're his friend, right? Make sure he doesn't do anything too strenuous," Dr. Mirikawa said as she left the sterile hospital room.

"What does she mean, 'shot five times?' What were you doing before Seta-san hired you?" Keitaro glanced at the American as he pulled on his brown leather jacket.

"My last deployment ended prematurely. My convoy ended up getting ambushed, and I nearly died. That happens in war," Chris said, standing up gingerly.

"What are you doing? You should rest," Keitaro said, stepping foward.

"Not here. I hate hospitals," Chris muttered as he walked past and out of the room. He checked out at the nurses' desk and led the way to the nearest train station. The train ride was passed in silence, and when they emerged at their stop, Chris sighed.

"What is it?" Keitaro was ready to flag down a policeman for help if it was neccessary.

"I could go for some good tea. Or coffee," Chris muttered.

"Let's stop at Aunt Haruka's Teahouse then," Keitaro said, grinning slightly. Chris nodded in agreement, then the two men set off into the rain which had begun to pour.

**A/N: Sorry about the delay. Being in a deployed environment is not the easiest place to write a story. Tell me what y'all think of the fight. I tried to make it so the OC wasn't amazing, nor did I try to dumb down Motoko's skill, so be honest with your reviews, please. Until the next update!**


End file.
